HVP, or Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, is a processed food product that is most often produced as a liquid, generally dark in color. The full name of the product is actually Acid-hydrolyzed vegetable protein because it is a product made in part by using hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide.
HVP is a free glutamate like monosodium glutamate (MSG). Some people show symptoms of an allergic reaction to MSG and may show similar reactions to HVP.
HVP is made by first boiling corn, wheat or soy in hydrochloric acid. The solution that is produced from boiling the cereal or legume is then neutralized with sodium hydroxides, which causes the acid to breaks down or hydrolyze the protein in the cereal or legume into their individual amino acids. Hydrolysis is the science of a chemical reaction that happens when water molecules are split into protons and anions.
According to the Canadian Government Health Website, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein is a free glutamate similar to other hydrolyzed proteins. MSG is a free glutamate also, which is how the two products are related to each other. But by using HVP companies can get away with claiming “no added MSG” or “contains no MSG” even though HVP also contains free glutamates. Neither MSG nor HVP are regulated food additives, and both are considered a flavor enhancing ingredient. Only the smallest amount of these products should be used to enhance the flavors of food.
There is no current regulation in the USA or Canada on the amounts of MSG and HVP that are allowed to be contained in food. When used in appropriate quantities these products are not a health hazard to consumers. However, in a recent recall by several manufacturers hydrolyzed vegetable protein was found to contain salmonella in several soup mixes, dressings and other manufactured food products.
I understand HVP is frequently used in pet foods & the FDA allows the ingredient to be labeled as “natural flavoring”. In spite of our efforts to have these pet food products identified- since they might be poisoning our pets- no one has been willing to identify the possibly contaminated pet food products. It seems it doesn’t matter to authorities OR pet food manufacturers if an un-named ingredient causing serious illness or death to our pets.
Eating dinner out often costs me a lot more than the price of the meal. MSG gives me terrible migraine headaches. They start in the night with a burning neck, then progress into a full throwing up sort of migraine which will last the whole next day. With this in mind, I avoid all chicken at McDonalds, KFC, chinease foods, Chick Filet, all gravies, soups, frozen breaded fish, packet mixes, Ranch dressing, stuffing, pot pies, etc. I wish the FDA would put a stop to it’s use. None of us need it in our diet. I even got into the stuff when they added Hydrolized Soy Protein to a popular brand of hand lotion. That caused 5 migraine days before I figured out where they were coming from. Nasty stuff…
As a consumer of modern foodstuffs, I became aware of the effects of msg and hydrolyzed soy protein in my own emotional wellness and then in researching my symtoms…I have LOST faith in our govt FDA’s ability to protect us from harmful substances and so leading to a general mistrust of the information we are led and fed as TRUTHFUL AND COMPLETE. And this is SO sad–Living in America- our rich and influencial country…
All of our processed foods aren’t the best foods to consume and we all should be held accontable for consuming excessively processed foods if we don’t buy it there will not be a demand for it. We should get back to how tradiotional families were where mother would stay at home raise her children and father would be the main bread winner so as to support his family and mother would have time to prepare for her family nourishing and healthy meals to keep her troop healthy and thriving with abundant health using wholegrains and fresh produce grown in her garden and or preserved fresh or frozen or canned are we looking forward to a food tsunami? People have been and will continue to tamper with our food. Let’s all grow something in our gardens or a windowbox and learn how something vauluabe about healthy living at it finest.
Valerie
I think the solution to the problem lies within our own hands.JUST SAY NO.Most of these corn -soy products,are actually genetically modified as well.Multi million dollar corporations really don`t care about what you put in your bodies.They just rake in the cash at th expense of us all.We keep these chemical pushers in business.Just stop buying this garbage,and start controling what you eat.I remember when the big thing was the war on drugs…what a joke! Drugs and chemicals are everywhere.If we don`t make smarter decisions as to what we choose to ingest,none of us will really have a chance in the end.So lets continue the governments war on drugs,and JUST SAY NO! ……..
Since being diagnosed with Celiac disease, I read all labels religiously and was not aware that HVP contained wheat. The label on the soup can listed HVP but no mention it contained wheat. Why can’t manufactures list ingredients in plain English????